Albany and Districts claim third in C-section, B-section side bounce back to finish in fifth at country week

Albany and Districts Cricket Association’s second and third teams finished their country week campaigns strongly with wins on the final day in Perth last week.

The Whalers C-section side claimed third place after a strong three-wicket T20 win over Wyalkatchem on Friday while the ADCA second side thumped Eastern Districts by eight wickets in their T20 on Friday to finish in fifth place.

The Whalers’ B-section team had a slow start to the week with two losses to Eastern Districts and Peel Country, however they managed to turn it around in Wednesday’s game where they bowled Esperance out for 145 after making 202 batting first.

They went on to play their crossover final against Great Southern on Thursday and coasted to a 97-run win.

Buddy Robinson belted an impressive 70 runs and Jack Hastie and Angus Thompson taking two wickets each.

The Whalers’ final game was a victory as well, with the team clinching their rematch against Eastern Districts in the fifth and sixth playoff.

Chasing 126 to win, Caleb Haua smashed seven sixes in his swashbuckling 80 from 42 balls and Cameron Walsh chipped in with 34 as Albany and Districts won in 15.3 overs.

The Whalers’ C-section team had similar success, with two close games at the beginning of the week.

They won their first game on the final ball, Tarik Hartfield and Nathan Benson the heroes as they chased down 168 to beat Avon before a gutting one-wicket loss to Wyalkatchem on Monday, Wyalkatchem hitting a six on the final ball to win.

The Whalers bounced back on Wednesday with a strong 75-run win over Northam.

This performance put them in the semifinals facing off against West Pilbara for a shot at the grand final, however they were bowled out for 140 as West Pilbara cruised to an eight-wicket win.

Playing off for third and fourth the Whalers had them in a rematch against Wyalkatchem.

Ryan Tindale cracked five sixes in a unbeaten 51 from 25 balls to lead Albany and Districts to a three-wicket win in the final over.

Albany and Districts’ Peter Ross was the competition’s leading run scorer with 207 at an average of 51.75 after making three half centuries for the week.